This application requests funding for the second competitive renewal of a postdoctoral training program in cardiovascular diseases. Initially the training program was designed for surgical residents, to prepare for an investigative career in cardiovascular sciences. In the first competitive renewal application, the focus was broadened to include those individuals with cardiology subspeciality training, who wished to dedicate themselves to careers in fundamental aspects of cardiovascular science. In this second competitive renewal, the focus will continue to be on individuals with surgical and cardiology subspeciality training, enabling them to engage in an intensive 2-3 year research training, choosing from broad group of investigative areas, ranging from molecular biology to outcomes/clinical research. The training program in Cardiovascular Sciences at Columbia University Medical Center was conceived to enhance and ensure the development of surgical and cardiologist physician-scientists and was designed to enable such young investigators to initiate a laboratory-based research program in Cardiovascular Sciences in the future. After two funding cycles, it is evident that the program is extremely successful in fulfilling this mission, training surgical residents and cardiology fellows in basic research methodology and techniques, translational and epidemiologic research, and outcome studies leading to multiple publications and the development of physician-scientists, most of whom have, or will be going on, to academic careers. In this second competitive renewal, we will continue the excellence in basic investigation. The scope within each sub-area has been enlarged, and such areas as gene therapy, cell signaling and immunology, translational and outcome research have been expanded, as have the the programs in vascular biology and ion channel research. Two new programs, Outcomes Research and Clinical Sciences, offer the applicant even greater opportunities to engage in cutting-edge translational research in excellent facilities and with outstanding mentors. Utilizing the remarkable depth of basic scientists and clinical investigators within Columbia University Medical Center, this training program is powered to train physician-scientists with advanced research techniques, yet provide individual attention through a series of core lectures and didactic program geared towards the research training of physicians and surgeons with an excellent representation of minorities and/or women. (End of Abstract)